How to Make the Switch to a Standing Desk

While standing desks may seem like an odd fad, there is a growing body of evidence that they are a simple solution to the negative effects caused by extended periods of sitting. A wide range of studies indicate that spending most of your day on your feet can help reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems.

Marathon’s Denver office spearheaded our company’s adoption of standing desks. Peter Hodges, our marketing director, enlisted his co-workers to help him stack two IKEA desks on top of each other to test things without having to purchase a new desk. He’s been standing up since the end of 2013 and has no plans on going back.

Now the entire Colorado office starts their day standing up. Marathon’s President, Bill Stucklen, took things to the next level and has added a treadmill to his standing desk in our Williamsburg office.

Here are a few things to consider if you’ve been thinking about switching to a standing desk.

Try before you buy. There are a number of different styles of standing desks available that can get expensive. Try building a temporary standing desk for a test drive. There are a ton of DIY standing desk recommendations online. Even if you only boost your keyboard and monitor to standing height for a week, this will give you a good idea if this change will work for you.

Ease into standing. Look to only stand for an hour or two when you kick things off to make it through your transition. Take phone calls, return emails or choose another part of your day to do while standing and then sit back down to ease into the change because the first two weeks can be demanding.

Add more movement in to your day. Take a look at your daily schedule and see where you can find opportunities to take a walk. Go for a spin around the block during your break or hop off the subway one stop early instead of going to the stop that’s right next to the office. The extra exercise will be a nice refresher for your legs.

Find sitting options during the day. Standing for the entire day can be challenging for anyone. Look to take a seat in an unused conference room or at an empty desk during the day to get some rest. If your office doesn’t have a lot of extra available space, see if you can bring in a bar stool style chair to give yourself a spot to take a break.

Review your ergonomics. General tips for standing up safely can be found here. Monitor height and keyboard height are the main things you’ll want to get right.

If you’re ready to purchase a dedicated standing desk, Marathon can help you find the right option for your office and your budget. Contact our Sales Team to learn more.

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